Would You Have Passed the Test?

When Crawford Hill was a boy, he applied for a job at a local store. Mr. Peters, the storeowner, told him to go into the attic. “You will find a long, deep box up there,” he said. “Sort through all the junk in the box and separate the things that need to be saved from the things we need to throw away."

Crawford went up the stairs into the hot attic and began sorting through the box. For the next few hours, he separated bent nails from the good ones, and kept everything that was worth salvaging. When he got to the bottom of the box, he noticed a $20 bill laying on the bottom.
 
He scooped it up and ran downstairs, holding it in the air and shouting, "Mr. Peters! Look what I found in the box!" Then he handed it to the store owner. Mr. Peters smiled because he knew he had found a boy to work in his store.
 
The old junk box was just a test. He had filled the box with nails, screws, and other items to test his faithfulness—to see if he would work in the hot attic without complaining, even though he didn't understand the purpose for the job. He planted the $20 bill at the bottom of the box to test his honesty. If he didn't report finding the money, he knew he couldn't be trusted with the cash register. Crawford passed the test. Years later Mr. Peters retired and turned his business over to Crawford to manage. (Making Today Count for Eternity, p.45-46)
 
Did you know that you are sorting through a junk box at your job? You are sorting through the box whenever you’re faced with a difficulty. God is watching to see if you'll be faithful and honest, especially when you don't understand why you are going through it. Remember, it's a test. It's only a test.
 
I hope you'll hear your Master say, "Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master." (Matt. 25:21)
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Making Life Count Ministries
P.O. Box 680174
Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174
www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett
www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com

All Things Are Possible With God

In 2011, fourteen-year old Taylor Hale suffered a brain hemorrhage due to a severe head injury. Doctors fought to save Taylor’s life, but her brain sank part way into her spinal column. Her brain “had turned to mush” and she was declared brain-dead. Doctors told her parents that no one comes back from that. Arrangements were made to take her off life support and discuss organ donation.
 
That afternoon, Jeff Stickel, a chiropractor and friend of Taylor’s parents, visited the hospital and asked if he could pray for her. They agreed. He put his hands on her neck and prayed for God to heal her, then he left. Later that afternoon, doctors turned off the life support that had helped her breathe since the accident.
 
Then something unexpected happened. Taylor struggled to take a breath under her own power. The medical staff reconnected her on life support. As the day went on, Taylor’s brain activity began to increase. She opened her eyes and moved her fingers and toes. The doctors told her parents they had no medical explanation for what was happening to her.
 
Taylor miraculously recovered, learned to walk again, and graduated from high school (see the before and after picture). But she did lose memory of her childhood and doesn’t remember the accident. Nevertheless, her recovery is nothing short of a modern-day miracle.
 
Doctors can’t explain what happened, but what about that prayer by Jeff Stickel right before they turned off the life support? Could that have something to do with it? No doubt about it. Jesus said, “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God” (Luke 18:27)

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Making Life Count Ministries
P.O. Box 680174
Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174
www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett
www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com

God's Providential Will

God’s Perfect Will is what God desires to happen. When we obey what He calls us to do, we are fulfilling God’s perfect will (Rom. 12:2).
 
God’s Permissive Will is when God allows people to disobey what He wants. He gives us a free will, which means we can make decisions against His will (Acts 14:16).
 
God’s Providential Will is when God overrules the permissive will. Eph. 1:11 says, “We have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will.” God’s Providential Will means He can guide us, protect us, and provide for us in spite of the schemes of evil people who attempt to destroy us.  
 
We can understand God’s “Permissive Will” and “Providential Will” by seeing it as a chess game God is playing. He allows an evil person to move a chess piece (permissive will) and then He makes a counter-move (providential will).
 
PERMISSIVE WILL: He allowed Israel to choose Saul as king, who tried to kill David.
PROVIDENTIAL WILL: God protected David from Saul’s attacks and eventually promoted him to be king.
 
PERMISSIVE WILL: God allowed Joseph to be sold into slavery, falsely accused, and thrown into jail.
PROVIDENTIAL WILL: God overruled those actions, promoted him to be a ruler in Egypt, and saved Israel during a famine. Years later, when Joseph was reunited with his brothers, he told them, "As for you, you meant evil against me (PERMISSIVE), but God meant it for good" (PROVIDENTIAL) (Gen. 50:20). Their “little hands” and God’s "big hand" were both working at the same time, and God used them as pawns to accomplish His purposes.
 
PERMISSIVE WILL: God allows His followers to be persecuted.
Jesus said, "Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorned your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man..." (Luke 6:22).

PROVIDENTIAL WILL: God rewards His followers for being persecuted.

"...Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven" (Luke 6:23). 

Did you see God’s Permissive and Providential Wills in this verse? When people persecute you (permissive will), at the same moment God is giving you a great heavenly reward which will last for all eternity! (providential will).
 
So when evil people seem to be winning, remember to keep a positive attitude, focus on God’s “big hand” at work, trust Him, and leap for joy!
Over 270 printable Bible studies at www.makinglifecount.net
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God's Permissive Will

Contrary to popular belief, not everything that happens is God’s will. Otherwise, why does Jesus tell us to pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matt. 6:10)? There are three aspects to God’s will.

God’s Perfect Will is what God desires to happen. When we obey what He calls us to do, we are fulfilling God’s perfect will. Romans 12:2 says “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
 
God’s Permissive Will is when God allows people to disobey what He wants. He gives us a free will, which means we can make decisions against His will. Acts 14:16 says, “He permitted all the nations to go their own ways.”
 
God’s Permissive Will went into effect when Israel chose Saul to be their king. It wasn’t what God wanted, but He allowed them to do it. The people of Israel told the prophet Samuel to appoint them a king so they would be like the other nations. God told Samuel, “They have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them” (1 Sam. 8:7).
 
When Samuel presented Saul to Israel, he said, “Here is the king whom you have chosen” (1 Sam. 12:13). King Saul deliberately disobeyed God, so Samuel informed Saul that the Lord had rejected him as king (1 Sam. 15:26). Not long after this, Samuel anointed David as God’s choice to be king (1 Sam. 16:13) but it would be years before David actually took the throne.
 
Saul continued being Israel’s king, even though God had rejected him. On two occasions Saul threw spears at David, trying to kill the future king of Israel. Unfortunately for David, he had to suffer the consequences of Israel’s foolish choice of Saul. He spent years running from Saul, who was continually trying to kill him. Even though God’s Permissive Will was still in effect, God was able to lead David and protect him from Saul’s attacks. Keep in mind that God is still able to lead and protect His people, even when an evil king like Saul is on the throne.
 
Fortunately, God has a Providential Will, where God can overrule the Permissive will. We will examine that next week.
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Making Life Count Ministries
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Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174
www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett
www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com